The Future of the Self-Driving Car

The self-driving car just a few years ago seemed like a thing of science fiction, but every day they become more and more a part of our lives!

Release the semi-trucks!

The most recent development in self-driving commercial vehicles is Waymo. Waymo was previously known as Google’s self-driving car project. The company has a fleet of 600 self-driving taxis in California and Arizona and will be leasing their first fleet of self-driving cargo trucks in Atlanta in mid-March. These self-driving semi-trucks use the same sensors as the self-driving Chrysler minivans.

Waymo cargo trucks will be delivering to Google data centers across Atlanta. They will be equipped with trained drivers that will monitor systems and take control in crisis situations. During the pilot of these trucks, they will only be operating on public roads and routes. If you see a Waymo truck on the roads, make sure to be mindful and maybe send us a picture on social media!

The new Uber

The biggest push right now with self-driving cars is self-driving taxis! The goal behind self-driving taxis is to create a safer ride for users and eliminate the need for human drivers; all of which will eventually lower the rate of taxis. Waymo and Uber are the current two competing companies for self-driving cars, with both companies releasing self-driving options in San Francisco, California.

Unlike Uber, who has limited their use of their self-driving car to employees only, Waymo is allowing pedestrians the ability to call for a ride in their self-driving cars. Waymo has also been able to make their ride service completely driverless.

The Future is Nigh

Self-driving cars will probably become a part of our everyday lives within the very near future. Both in commercial settings and with private owned vehicles, we are seeing a push to making self-driving available to all. So, next time you spill coffee all over your lap while driving, just know that one day you’ll be able to drive your kids to school without even touching the wheel.